NDA chief ministers resolve to defeat UPA government (Lead)

New Delhi, July 17(IANS) The UPA government is “slipping in numbers” and will not be able to survive the July 22 confidence vote in parliament, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said Thursday as chief ministers of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA)-ruled states passed a resolution to ensure defeat of the government in the trust vote. “The NDA ruled states feel this government has meted out step-motherly treatment to them and suffers from lack of governance and indecision. So this government should be removed,” BJP general secretary Arun Jaitley said here Thursday.

The chief ministers of the NDA ruled states met at BJP leader L.K. Advani’s residence and discussed the current political situation for about two hours. “The NDA has decided unanimously that this government should go,” Jaitley told reporters after the meeting.

In reply to a question, the BJP leader reiterated that the Shiromani Akali Dal, a key alliance partner, would vote against the United Progressive ALliance (UPA) government.

“SAD leader and Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has categorically stated that his party will vote against the UPA during the trust vote,” Jaitley said.

Commenting on the hectic efforts by the UPA to save its government, the BJP leader said, “It is unfortunate that the office of the prime minister has become a centre of bargaining.”

Jaitley made it clear that during the two-day parliament session called for seeking the trust vote, the NDA’s offensive would not only highlight the controversial Indo-US nuclear deal but also rising inflation, which Thursday neared 12 percent.

A confident Jaitley said the Congress-led UPA government would not be able to prove its majority. “This government is slipping in numbers. There are many MPs outside the NDA also who are against this government,” he said.

Jaitley said the NDA chief ministers discussed a political strategy to defeat the UPA government in the vote.

The government is seeking a trust vote after the Left front pulled out the support of its 59 MPs from the government protesting its decision to go ahead with the Indo-US nuclear deal.

Meanwhile, in a separate statement, the BJP referring to a news report alleged that the UPA government, fearing defeat in the trust vote, is conspiring to make the nuclear deal a fait accompli.

“All further action on the nuclear deal should be suspended until this government proves its majority on the floor of the house,” the BJP statement said.